Shopping frugal

Hello, I missed all of you today.
I was tending my duties.
this week I was spread pretty thin.
Wednesday evening we got the truck back.
Just before we had to get together to go to the roller rink.
I put the signs in it yesterday.
Drove it to the school and had folks looking at it.
I drove it to the bank and the grocery just to get some exposure to it.
Lots of looks. It is very shiny.
It is a 1995 with only 130,000 miles on it.
New tires too.
Pass the word if you know anyone.

We set our price at $5300.
It is really beautiful.
We were given favor at the detail shop and only charged $150. for $300. job.
It is so pretty I really wanted to do the car put we opted to hold the funds instead.

I stayed up very late last night to get the kitchen cleaned.
Paid the bills and set the papers to be filed.
It is just a big job this week with so many tasks to do.
I did the lead in adds and collected the coupons, cleared out the outdated ones.
Set the list using a high lighter of color set for each store.
Pulled all the coupons to match lead ins.

I received a letter that I made an error on the Federal tax return.
They sent me $150. more!!!!!!!!!!
Cool!
Replaced all the funds that we borrowed from ourselves and had $450. to spare to add to the budget. We will save it up, for our 6 month emergency fund that we are working on.

Got the statement on our electric bill.
We do a balanced budget payment.
It went down $29. a month now!
We did real well this last year and now have reduced the balance plan that much a month!
Mostly time of use, but hanging the clothing and Thinking things through better when we use the oven for example we really use all the heat at that time but doing things that we can add for the next meal while the oven is hot.


Today a trip to the post office to mail all the bilss, then to the Albertsons.
They have Saunderson Farm chicken .77 cent a pound!
filled the big freezer with 80 pounds of it, mostly split breast.
They had lunch meat $2 box, so after the first run to the store (where I had used those coupons I had had... $1 off three) I cut out the ones from my purchase and went back for more.
50 boxes apx total.
I cut the box, and just keep the package.
It is frozen so each day I can just pull one out.
No lunch meat or chicken shopping for me for the summer.

Click to enlarge
$621.63
worth of foods for

only $268.

saved $353.68
add to that the items that were on clearance of around $30. more.
They often do not show up on the receipts as a savings due to just coming up at the clearenced price.

This is $3.44 worth of chicken, one family package. I purchased 16.

Found these cute place mats for .50 each.

All in all a very frugal day.

Costo found me buying cupcakes...
Yes Me...:)
The old saying choose your battles.
Found a cute swim suit that LOOKED GOOD ON ME!
I was stunned Steve even came in and said I looked nice in it.
A swim suit!
Go figure.

Tomorrow is the rink so I better get rested.

I will see you three for tea at 1pm
I need to find that address email you sent Trisha.
yikes.

Thankful Thrusday

Busy busy days. Living life to it's top!
We got the car back and the 4 runner detailed. It is going on the market today.
I am home the first day of this week and tasks to do! oh man to do list so long I am tripping on them. :)

For the love of a child...

Yesterday I had set before me a commitment to keep to the children of Room 33.

While considering in my heart the day before while on the bus, this one child I had yet to reach I saw myself painting yesterday for him.
Dong a fast study of the dream catcher I set out to prepare my day at the elementary.
Two classes to paint for.
The first being Room 33.

One child of the 28 had yet to be touched through the exterior.
I have had children of the heart like this before.
Those who are wounded souls shut down before the world around them.
I found out yesterday what his color was of preference.

I learned a bit of understanding on the intent.
When I got to the class the teacher had a bathroom break and I ran up to the office to tell the office of a kid bullied to make sure he was alright.

When I returned they were all in the room and she asked me to just wait a moment before I came in. Dove was by me and upset...I was concerned of what was bothering her...

Then the door opened and I heard the kids singing something...I was focused on Dove at my side upset...
I turned to enter to the whole of the class in the middle of
"For she's a golly good art teacher, for she is a golly good art teacher...that nobody could deny!"

a bit stunned and endeared to the core I held back tears of appreciation only to have gifts placed in my hand and led to a CAKE! in my honor with "Thank You Mrs. U" on it.
They handed me "stacks!" of pictures and hand made cards...Then a stack of letters written long hand to me...
I was asked then to open the gifts.
There was a card every signed.
Another gift a $20 gift card to my very favorite restaurant! (I learned later that all the children had pulled money to collect a fund to get it for me,), It said "for DATE NIGHT" me...a date with my husband!!!!!!!!...
I cheered "Pie wei" I cheered! to the delight of the young ones they were so pleased.
A child walked up to me and handed me a hand full of CHERRIES! Those of you who know me know I LOVE FRESH CHERRIES!!!!!!!! I asked her "did I tell you about how much I loved cherries? " she said no.

Next was a plack with a poem on it!
Oh what a nice poem...
The teacher warned "now this one is gonna make you cry..."
After opening it I read it aloud in my best story teller voice with tone and inflection of emote.
The children cheered.

Well by now I was pumped up with all the helium a woman could hold.
Floating on the breeze...

I began the lesson and the painting.

I painted a dream catcher in honor of the only child I had yet to get through too. The only one.
He is a very beautiful hearted boy with a shell about him.
At the end of the lesson...It was so cool.
I told them of the import of respecting nature and each other.
Of hearing with their eyes, they understood.
For I told them the ear often hears and does not get it but to look and study the hands of the Elders to see lessons taught without word.
IT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!!!

I told them when I was quiet and listen to what I was to do for them that this was the lesson and the painting that I saw to do...I concluded the lesson with ...how I did what I saw myself to do.
That this is also what I saw...
I then handed the painting to that child...I asked him if I might gift him the painting...Stunned he stammered, and I stated again that it was to be a gift to him...

OH FOLKS
LOVE A CHILD!
ANY CHILD JUST LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!

"Made a difference to that one"

the statements on these letters would just pull it up from your toes...

A holy day!

Next up

was the second grade class... (not Dash's class) another.

I had taken the hands on a book pattern.

I spoke of the importance of imagination
Then the import of reference books.
Only to find out that the teacher favorite color was green...
and her very favorite thing in the whole world the childern told me was
BOOKS!

So we painted the hands and the book, the kids had to make a short exit and then returned and I had finished the detail on the book.

The lesson...
Not only did your teacher give you knowledge...
MORE IMPORTANTLY
She gave you understanding
how to use the knowledge you gained.

So on the spine of the painted book we named it
UNDERSTANDING
by Peterson (on cover)
Oh she welled up those baby blues and placed her hand on her heart.
COOL! The kindness penetrated deeply into her heart!

She told the children when they are in high school if they come back that they will see this painting still here on her wall.

A friend of mine saw me as I was leaving the school after a full day...She said I was glowing as I floated out those dubble doors on my way to my car....

Still am.

We learned at the last hour of the school day that it was the PTA fund raiser at the skate rink, Steve came home early due to the retreival of the truck (a friend helped him) We took a little girl who otherwise would not be able to attend (due to single mom loss of job).
They had a good time.
We got home late.
Telling you I need to just dip my candle in wax...

Some days are Holy


Oh but to see that flame shine up those dark corners.
I am a telling you
LIVIN LIFE TO THE TOP!

Oh to live a full life, this life not lost or idle in time.
Full and thriving.

"some day if you do not let them make me like them...I promise I will give you a life"
Promise kept.

How can I but be emerced in gratitude.

Yesterday afternoon My Sweet Garden buddy and I went out to the garden to do a fast harvest of the garden before we had to be off to Dove's play.
"Can I Come Mom!, I love being in the garden with you!"

That little man did the duty of onion pulling.
He was a great help. I posted over at "BEE BLISS GARDENS".
I was a real joy to see the harvest of the efforts 26 this haul, 9 last week and there are I think three more in ground. Once they fall over it is time for harvest.

It was so fun to go to the play as a family. Just as I was loading up the kids the "daddy Man" pulled into the drive way.
The kids went with him and I met them all in the parking lot.
My husband and I had a whole 45 minutes embrace as we sat together and took delight in our daughter.
Dash was a bit of a clown and embarrassed her.
She gave him the "what for!" when she got off the stage. Dash was making the performers laugh. He just loves that power of laughter. We allowed his little pal to sit with us , but almost three times sent him to his parents. I mus t be just an old codger but the kids need to know how to respect others who are trying to do a good job. The kids all worked so hard. Earlier there were8 of the 28 absent, just skipped out on the others. Some were ill...many just skipped out. So several had to read lines of others looking as if they had not learned all the lines. I do wish that the teachers would of acknowledged that.

I flew out the door at the end .

Took a short cut through the reservation and got to the party.
The first to arrive.
So I helped out (very little) my SIL and one of her daughters (my niece) set it all up.
They are pro's...

My niece was not so such surprised as just STUNNED!
It was a well pulled off surprise.

Well much to do today.

I am going to do two demonstrations for the kids at the elementary.
Had an idea of doing an acrylic of a dream catcher for the 4 TH graders and have for the 2 ND graders a book image with fingers holding it. I think I'll tell them about the wonder of (all most) all you need can be found in a book.

Better go water the garden, chickens and dogs.
Tomorrow....
stay home....
REST....
bake a cake....oh my life is full.
I am so glad I am made able, it is a ride.

Did I tell you...
It really felt GOOD to come home last night to my family.
My friendship with my husband is the greatest joy.

Wordless Wednesday

Just three of the many many

Tackle it Tuesday

Hello!
Well the day started off fast...
No surprise this is that uncommon life blog after all...
:)
I was lovin' that pillow and my sweet darling had to pull a "come on hun, up and at em' ".
Once the lunch made, he off with a store bought breakfast bar...gasp!
I just am slowing down some:)

Kids out the door to the bus stop.. then I had just enough time to shave my legs and do a fast pedicure on my fancy little toes.

I bought these cool moisture sox and decided to leave them on with the tennis shows for the field trip and I gulped my coffee and made it to the class room 10 before boarding the bus.

Now I forgot my camera! arg...
We took the kids 45? of them two classes to a nursing home a good 20 drive away. They were awesome. No one was in power over or with them on the bus wierd...so I just stepped into my power. funny how children need to know there is an authority in charge they just relax with it.
We split (thank God) and did the performances to two seperate audiences. Our kids got to see the "Kitchen band" perform and clap and such. They were so awesome. I say that word alot...
Life is AWE inspirering.
So the performance was sweet, and then we all loaded the bus and left to the park here in my community. Funny the proviledge we have of living here we have one of the best public parks around.
Lunch and play was had. When It came time to gather the chicks to the gander....welll.
Life is awesome....
There was a man, who was the driver of one of the other busses (we were three busses of 6 classes total) so I asked him...
"Hay do you have a big bumming voice to call these kids in?"
He looked at me and approched...he said very quietly with a deep wrasp, "are you making fun of me?"
"I am a VET and I am wounded in combate I have no voice"
OH GIRLS...of all people to say that too.
That was my next sentence. He and I talked and I told him thank you for my country...I told him of Russia nad my children, how he make this able for us to keep free here. I told him of the little kind lecture I had just given on the bus ablut the last man standing holding up the banner as to never let it fall.
He was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
He thanked me for sharing with him. I too have PTSD just a different battle front. I was able to understand his heart and his voice of soft agony.
The children were calling me they had all abourd the buss. I boarded and told them all of what had happened...that I had just met a real HERO.
Our play was on HISTORY.

AWESOME!

Home now did a post on the "Place to Create" on card making.
And the scrapping center in the studio.

This is the card I made this morning between 7-7:30 a.m., I had laid out the supplies before bed last night.

It is now 3 p.m.
The children will walk in the door soon.

at 4:15 we must be back at the school for another performance of the play for the parents.
Steve is getting off to meet us there. He never misses a play for his children.


I will pull away from the school at 5:30 to attend the Baby Shower at 6p.m.

While Steve stays at the school for the book fair at 5:30
Open house at 6-7
then the ice cream social for the volenteers 7-8.
I will miss out on that tonight.
OH but the smiles of the children are my acknowledgment.

no time to spell check
love ya!

Week end in review

Thursday night we had a new invention.
Without any bread baked and the left over chicken already cooked...

Chicken and onion (home grown), dogs.
The kids flipped over this one.
Mao and baked chicken that it.
Better than a hot dog!??????????
cool! Better for them that's for sure. We use a kosher all beef, but still this is healthier.
Homemade salsa from the garden, I grew it!!!!
That is just the coolest thing to grow the foods!

Each day last week we had early morning visitors.
These two brothers come to our home and hang out front.
They obey their parents well and never come in.
They are sweet kids. One id in Dash's class and the other a 5Th grader. The parents must be absent in the morning for work.
The boys feel so safe as to walk the block or so here.
They have a bus stop close, but rather come here to wait.
Mother of many. I got to tell you I have witnessed bigotry toward these two great kids twice it really lights my fuse! I calmly just tell the boys they did not deserve to be spoken to like that. I tell them the person was disrespectful and in error. Tell them maybe that the person was having a bad day. I see it in the elder boy though how it hurts. To few folks are color blind.
My kids are raised color blind intentionally.

The kids are respecting the "no climb rule" that was set by the neighbor. You see it was "o k" if my kids climbed it....NEVER A PROBLEM...
well when we all go to the stop the kids all respect that it is her tree.
Her property. We would never want to over weigh the tree, or be liability of a fall.
The kids were saying that the tree was sad, it missed them in it.
They all touched the tree and could feel the life in it.
The elder boy could not understand that so I placed my hand on his.
His eyes opened wide, "I asked him can you feel my life?" Then I lifted my hand off of his..."now can you feel it?" He smiled wide
"I feel it"

Despite the news of the false mrsa and the punchy health on those meds we still had a garden to water.
Steve helped me by instruction, I had to stay out of the sun. He even washed off the onions for me. I have three times as many yet to pull up. When they fall over they are ready to pull.

Lesson taught me to wrap the onion in foil and not to let them touch.
I trimmed the greens and saved them as green onions. This worked well for some easy shish kabobs. I was barley able to put this dinner together . Somehow we ate and watched a show.
Then I was spent.

So easy to do, remember to soak the bamboo sticks in water so they do not catch fire.
Drizzle a little olive oil over with a dash of seasoning. I used a Cajun BBQ.
That was dinner.
I went to bed very early.

Next morning with water dripped all over me I welcomed Mothers day with joy!
Although I was in poor health, those kids and my husband just brightened the day.

Dove waited her turn while Dash gave a gift of many very thought out images, a collage.

Dove was so patient and Dash just was an empty reservoir.
He was so sweet!

Dove was so patient. She sure is growing up.
What an amazing letter, two page, she wrote out long hand for me.
She told me of a boy who "wrote out one lousy sentence Mom! he said he did not like to write."
She was so disturbed by it. She was really upset at the boy.
She also made some cool flowers of tissue paper.

My Sweet Steve gave me breakfast in bed and a lot of rest time.
He really pulled up on the dishes too.
Kept the wheels rolling with the coop and the poop (dog) clean up.
He really covered my back while I was down. I will still take it easy for me. :)

So sweet, she worked hard on this.
She said I shined like Gold.
:)

Dash came running back with a book and just wanted to have an endless supply of gifts he looked frustrated. He explained every detail, in detail. He really thought this out.

Well this morning you could tell I was off work a few days.
Steve kept up dishes but oh the life of a working home.
It just grows like a well watered flower.

funny how it grows.

and grows....

and multiplies...Well I know one thing for sure it needs me. {:)

Here's a tip slip...
Put that sun screen but the door and squirt them down on the way out!
I have a set up by the back door too.
I have yet to forget it, with it right there each morning.

The plants flowered on Saturday( the day of the funeral).
I transplanted the cacti I had purchased for the funeral.
My nephew loved the desert.
I took it up to his mother today and got to hold my Great Nephew.
Nico...

My niece is a beautiful young Mother who is very protective and thoughtful over him.
It was so nice to see her. It had been a year or two.
I listened to what mattered to her.
Then shopped accordingly.

Stopped by and got some soy (I am milk allergic) yogurts to down this afternoon.
Found some things to make the baby shower gift with.
I have yet to wrap it up or set it up as it were. I'll take a picture when I do.
I
We went to get the car this afternoon they had finished it.
We dropped of the 4 runner to get it detailed . To find out that the $300. It normally costs had be waived to $150.! It was a personal favor to the shop that referred us there.
I had thanked the girl. The shop did a great job.
We have the truck there till Wednesday so we can accomplish tomorrow.
It is a very full day to come.
I just could not do any more than is set to accomplish.
We told them to take their time and not to feel rushed.
The truck will be locked up indoors all the while.

Well now your all caught up with me.
Here I come to catch up on all of you.

Menu Plan Monday

Good Monday to you!
My meal plan is a bit easy this week.

There comes those times when we just need to slow down a bit.
Well this week I am on the mend.
So tonight they daddy man and his girl will have left over pizza
Dash and I a BLT, he has been asking for one for a while
I like to oblige the kids some their fancy when it is reasonable.

I use Pinto Beans to make my chili...
cumin and curry
cayenne
and tomato sauced.

Corn bread is the best with cardamon in it very sweet stuff!

I'll use a frozen mixed organic veggies in the stir fry and basmati rice.

My pintos are home made and blended with salsa, butter, water and cumin in the blender.

The cake is yet in the design phase. It will be my main focus this week. That and taking it a bit easy.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Outside my window... The chickens hutch now sits and they are at the moment quiet, that means that they are enjoying the shade. The water is on the tomato plants. The dogs sit in the shade and relax on the cool of the concrete. The feeders need to be filled. The lab howls to be let in. However the dust bowl left where he sits disallows it until either the heat of the day or when my arm is able to give him a bath.

I am thinking... WOW my shoulder hurts where the tetanus shot was given. I am so relieved of no mrsa, that the infection will heal. No more sick lady from big gun antibiotics. I love my niece and how do I gift her without the other nieces feeling left out from not having their babies cellibrated in the past by me. Hard to ballence so many many great nieces and nephews. The baby shower tomorrow night. I must get creative.

From the learning rooms... Rest all is quiet for a few days. I need to recover the infection in my arm. So all will slow down there this week.

I am thankful for... Rest, healing and all of the sweet fragrance of loving prayers on my behalf.

From the kitchen... Rest... I must do my best to make Steves breakfast cookies, and Doves un birthday cake for Saturday. Otherwise slow week for the kitchen. Radical for me.

I am wearing... Exercise navy pants that have a white and green stripe down the leg, and a bright summer green hoody top that is sleevless. A white gauze wrap around my wrist. Fatigue.

I am reading... Nothing...All books at rest.

I am hoping...Be strong enough to assist with the field trip to the nursing home with the 4 th graders tomorro. Also to be able to gift the kids with an art demonstration.

I am creating...gifts for pay it forward and thankful heart gifts, also baby shower gifts.

I am praying... gratitude, stillness and rest. For my sister and the extended family as they heal from the fresh wounds left by the suicide of my nephew. I did not attend the funeral and am concerned of offences caused...Sorta sad to have missed it too.

Around the house... Let it go...It will get done. Inch by inch...keep the garden alive and the tomato alive. Tend the living let all else be as it is and as I am able.

One of my favorite things... loving my husband and children by caring for myself first.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Field trip to a nursing home to assist with the 4th and 5th graders play. Supporting the kids as they interact in a geriatric ward. It can be scary for a kid. I will miss the "thank you " party for volunteers, to attend the baby shower for little one who is my Great Nephew. I think he is the 17 plus all the others of 10 other nieces and nephews I do not now about. He must be at least my 30th great nephew...( I am the last of 8 children) wow...On Wedsneday I have an art presentation and well as tTuesday afternoon, Thurday a cake to bake and Friday to decorate it and ready for the party on Saturday.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Life
I will get to hold him Tomorrow.